Mythology
by ifonlynotnever
Summary: WIP. Weird, drabbleish. Odd AkiRu, some ToriRu. Shigure called her a flower. Akito wanted his goddess. And Hatori was tortured by a name.
1. Flower

_DISCLAIMER: I claim no ownership of _Fruits Basket.

_**--**_

**_Mythology_**

_Part One: Preparations of a Broken God  
__One: Flower_

_**--**_

Shigure called her a flower.

A _flower_.

How pretty. And how… appropriate.

She had stolen his Jyuunishi.

_(He sat so still, lounged in the doorway of the room, let the breeze sweep over him because the day was just so hot and sticky and unsuitable for anything other than lounging in shadows…)_

_God_, he hated her. When Shigure had first told him of this girl, this _bitch_ who entered their lives and accepted Shigure and Yuki (not to mention that _monster_), Akito had dismissed her. Had thought she might be able to break the curse, but doubted it. Had decided to let her stay because it was amusing and he didn't really think she'd last. _Hadn't_ known that it was possible to hate this one plain-looking girl _so damn much_.

But he did.

And now.

Yes.

Now, he would take her into his hand, into his palm, and let her sit.

_(A sparrow fluttered into Akito's hand, pretty and speckled with gray and brown. So plain, but so pretty at the same time – how utterly disgusting… hypocritical…)_

And then, when she least suspected, he would close his hand.

_(The sparrow cocked its little head at the cold eyes staring at nothing...)_

And he would trap her.

_(It gave a small cheep, but there was no reaction from the owner of the hand…)_

And he would crush her.

_(The sparrow, bored, finally took off, not sparing a backwards glance at Akito…)_

And the flower would die.

_**--**_

_**Author's Space**_

Ah… This is just a set of weird musing-ish-drabbles that occurred to me at the most inopportune times. I figured that if I posted them, then at least I wasn't wasting precious disk space. _:shrug: _Ah, well. At least it has a certain semblance of a plot, even if it isn't really the most original.

Updates will be sporadic, and chapters will be short, and... uh... this is based on the **anime** and the **manga** up to volume 9.

So. Please review, or critique, or flame (why doesn't anyone believe me when I say that?).

_love, fluorescent..._


	2. Goddess

_DISCLAIMER: I claim no ownership of _Fruits Basket

Okay, so I said anime and manga up to volume 9. I lied. I took concepts from spoilers beyond both of them, but only on the status that Akito holds within the Jyuunishi, nothing else. You don't want spoilers? Don't read on.

_**--**_

_**Mythology**_

_Part One: Preparations of a Broken God  
Two: Goddess_

**_--_**

Every god needed a goddess.

That was the logic behind this irrational, illogical solution.

A god needed a goddess. And together they would rule over the minor deities and keep them in line and _own_ them.

To him, those deities were little more than toys.

Akito wanted his goddess.

He was a god, wasn't he? Well, then. It was settled.

She sat there, on her knees, trembling even as she tried to remain strong. The cold silence stretched between them. She couldn't very well offer him a smilewhile he stood with his back to her. So she simply sat and Akito simply intimidated her with the silence.

She was so pathetic.

But he supposed she would have to do. She already owned most of the Jyuunishi, didn't she? She'd stolen them away from him.

_She'd stolen them away from their god_.

He was being _quite_ generous. She was a heresy, after all. A blasphemy. But he was going to make her his goddess. And then he would have his Jyuunishi back. And then everything would be all right.

It briefly occurred to Akito that he hated sharing. He brushed the thought aside.

And she was willing, too. What had she said that day? What drivel had spewed forth from her mouth that had surprised him into such a stupor?

"_Akito-san, please let me hear more about how you feel…"_

So if she protested, that was simply her fault.

"Are you _afraid _of me, Tohru-san?" he asked, not even bothering to turn and look her in the eyes.

She said nothing. Akito supposed that she hadn't been expecting the question. The girl was undoubtedly fumbling for an answer that would sound neither insulting nor dim.

_Answer me!_ he wanted to scream at her after she still produced no reply other than, "A-akito-san—_"_. _Answer me, damn you!_

So he did, spinning around with fists clenched tight and his eyes wild.

"Answer me! Answer me when I ask a question, you stupid girl! _Answer!"_

She shook below him, eyes squeezed shut.

He took hold of her face, jerked it to him.

"Open your eyes. Answer. _NOW!"_

"I don't know!" she replied, eyes still scrunched closed in fear, all her composure gone.

He let go, thrusting her aside.

--

**_Author's Space_**

Ah. There's not much I can say, unlike with _OUaR_…

Oh. I started out with "Tohru-kun" but realized (at the last moment, I might add) that Akito calls her "Tohru-san". Huh.

Please, please, _please_ review!

Next chapter: _Three: Truths_.

_love, fluorescent_

_**--**_

Responses 

**Kairia**, **hatori** **obsesser**, **ficfan3484** – Thank you very much for reviewing!

**Lucinda the Maid **– Thanks so much. Regarding grammatical errors: Some of them, such as run-ons and sentence fragments, are there on purpose, and are used to enhance the mood (_I think…_). However, if there are other things that you've noticed, please tell me what they are! I'm beta-less, and I'm not the best with grammar, so things tend to slip by without my realizing it. _:wince:_

**Constructive Criticism Bug** – You've got a really good idea going there. Personally, I love constructive criticism. Thanks for your review!

**catgirlversion3.0otakufan** – Ah… We'll just have to see about that. Thanks for reviewing.


	3. Truths

_DISCLAIMER: I claim no ownership of _Fruits Basket.

**_--_**

_**Mythology**_

_Part One: Preparations of a Broken God  
Three: Truths_

**_--_**

Akito always told Tohru the truth.

He'd told her it was for the good of the Jyuunishi _("It's the only thing you can do for them, Tohru-san.")._

He'd told her that she would still get to see her friends, certainly _("You will see them only when I say so.")._

He'd told her it wouldn't be for long, not really _("You will be mine until the day I die, do you hear me?")._

And so she'd done it.

She sat beside him, her head bowed, and announced their intentions to the family _("I – I… Akito-san and I are…")_.

There had been silence.

_God,_ that felt so good. Their shock. Their internal struggles. It was just fodder for that blazing fire within Akito. They were afraid of him and afraid for her.

He just loved that fear.

But especially because he'd told her that this would happen _("They will hate you for this, Tohru-san. They will hate you so much they won't be able to speak.")._

"Well, aren't you going to congratulate us?"

And then they were forced out of their trances. Smiles were pasted on and the artificial good will was distributed.

And it was strangely satisfying.

**_--_**

**_Author's Space_**

The next chapter will be longer. I swear. Really! Okay, so, it's not. But it's Hatori-centric! Really! No, I'm serious.

Now. Don't get me wrong. I am utterly in love with Akito, spoilers or not. But c'mon. He's a god, not a saint.

Next chapter: _Four: Porcelain._

Please review, or critique, or flame, or something.

**_--_**

Many, many thanks to the following reviewers: **flute4ever330, Tohruismyoneechan** (cool name!)and **Niana Kuonji** (sorry 'bout that--the longer chapters are usually in _OUaR_, ne?).


	4. Porcelain

_DISCLAIMER: I claim no ownership of _Fruits Basket.

**_--_**

_**Mythology**_

_Part Two: Secret Defiance of the Blossom Deities  
__Four: Porcelain_

**_--_**

Hatori just sat there.

Fear had sent his mind reeling as he watched the scene unfold. Shigure and Ayame flanked his sides, and Kureno sat beside Ayame. The rest of the Jyuunishi had been gathered to an audience room near Akito's chambers for this occasion and sat behind Hatori's row.

And there was Honda-kun beside the looming head of the Sohmas.

God, how could he have been so stupid? He should have learned. He should have learned. He should have _learned_, dammit.

It was like placing a valuable porcelain vase in the hands of an unruly and petulant two-year-old. Akito would leave Tohru broken, shattered, thrown away, begging Hatori for something that he didn't want to do. She would beg for something that he didn't want to give – that he _would_ give her, in the end, but it would destroy him, too.

If she asked, _willingly_ _asked_, for her memory erased, Hatori knew that his soul wouldn't survive.

Because he loved her. He loved her the way that most of the other Sohmas loved her – because she'd managed to salvage their hearts and souls from this curse that they suffered. He loved her like Shigure and Ayame loved her – as the cute teenager that they simply had to watch over as the guardians of the precious flower.

And maybe… Maybe he loved her the way that Yuki and Kyo loved her.

So why was it that none of them could save her from Akito?

**_--_**

_**Author's Space**_

…That was some pretty blatant Hatori/Tohru. Didn't mean for it to be, but it was, so…

Next Chapter: _Chapter Four: Loyalty._

Um. Review or flame or something.

_**--**_

**Thank You:**

Tohruismyoneechan -- :_grin_: Yeah. I like Akito a lot. Thanks for reviewing.

catgirlversion3.0otakufan – Thanks. Glad you're liking it.

chiisana-inori – :_blinkblink_: Wow. It's _you_. :_blinkblink_: Er—Thanks so much! I hope this chapter lived up to your expectation of – er – Hatori-centric-ness… stuff… Aheh.

--

_Shameless Plug_: Recently, my cousin (rogueicephoenix) and I got a joint penname (plotbunnytohma). Our first attempt at a joint venture will be up really, really soon. It's called _Folding Cranes_, it's for _Fruits Basket_, and it's pretty Hatori-centric. So. Er. Check it out. Maybe.

_love, fluorescent_


	5. Loyalty

_DISCLAIMER: I claim no ownership of _Fruits Basket.

--

_**Mythology**_

_Part Two: Secret Defiance of the Blossom Deities_

_Five: Loyalty_

--

Shigure wasn't quite himself after telling Kyou about the whole... _situation_.

Granted, Kyou _had_ sent him through the wall and there was a nasty bang at the back of his head, which Hatori had told him to stop whining about and just put ice on.

He had only been trying to lighten the mood.

It had been very unsatisfying.

There was, after all, no one to coddle him and no one to take his jokes somewhat seriously and no one to—to—to be _Tohru_. There was no one to be sweet to him or smile at him or grow flustered when he said _just_ the right thing or…

Shigure stopped his mind from continuing down that path.

Her possessions were to be moved to the main house tomorrow. She, on the other hand, would not come back to Shigure's House of Sohma again, if Akito got his way. She would live in the main house in a room just far enough from Akito's for propriety to be kept – for propriety was essential in a family as old and respectable as the Sohma – but not far enough for her to be out of Akito's iron grasp.

He wondered, not for the first time and certainly not for the last time, if this was _really _happening. Was this just another game to be played and dismissed when it got tiring? Or was Akito serious about it?

Was Tohru really lost to them forever?

_Is that a bad thing? _some part of his mind whispered maliciously. _Do you even care? What if,_ the voice continued on, _she could break the curse? What if all the curse needs is balance between god and goddess, malevolence and benevolence, anger and calm?_

And yet, this was _Tohru_. He was gambling away the flower he'd wanted to keep locked away in his house forever and ever and—

Shigure was torn.

His loyalty to Akito was unwavering, of course.

How was his loyalty to his flower – to Tohru?

Was it beyond unwavering? Was it undying? Was it unbreakable?

Was it real?

Yes. Shigure did believe it was real.

--

_**Author's Space**_

Ah. It's Shigure. I love him. As in, even more than Akito. Though, I dunno if I like him more than Hatori…

Sorry about not updating and stuff. Work, work, work. Blech.

Next Chapter: _Chapter Five: Needle._

Well. Review or something.

--

**Thank You...!**

1penhead -- Yeah, sorry about that. The longest chapter to date is Ayame's chapter, which is next. It's not really that long, though... I guess I just stop writing where it feels right. Aheh. Yeah, ToriRus are wonderful.

catgirlversion3.0otakufan, chiisana-inori, tohruismyoneechan **--** Thanks for all your reviews and for being patient and not getting too mad at me for only writing really short chapters and...

Lucinda the Maid -- Heh. Yes, continued. I really love symbolism, myself, so... I try, I try.

fluffy-sama -- Ah! Sorry about that. I get rather vague, sometimes... Yeah, it's something like that. A warped type of marriage or... something.

_love, fluorescent_


	6. Needle

_DISCLAIMER: I claim no ownership of _Fruits Basket.

**_

* * *

_**

**_Mythology_**

_Part Two: Secret Defiance of the Blossom Deities  
__Six: Needle_

--

Ayame pulled back the needle, his eyes watching as the thread followed it in its path.

His complete focus was on the material he was sewing.

It was for Tohru, of course, commissioned by Akito in one of his rare moments of attention towards Ayame.

It was for the wedding, naturally.

Ayame sucked in a breath.

It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair. It wasn't _fair_.

She deserved something more. She deserved something else, something real, something infinitely more happy.

She deserved _romance_, for heaven's sake.

In and out, the needle wove through the cloth over and over again.

He could only imagine how Yuki felt.

It – It probably hurt. It probably hurt inside his chest, inside his heart. A dull pain, Ayame mused silently, tying a knot into the thread and snipping close to it with a pair of scissors before threading another needle with a different color of thread.

"Boss! That's—that's _beautiful!" _Mine gushed. Ayame didn't look up, but merely smiled. Of _course_ it was beautiful! If _he_ made it there was no reason for it to be otherwise. And aside from that, this had to be absolutely perfect and spectacular.

"Is it for one of the regulars or a new one?"

"It's for Tohru-kun."

Mine floundered.

"T-tohru-chan is getting _m-married?"_

Ayame gave her an odd smile, and nodded, poking the needle into the fabric gently.

"Isn't she a bit young? Well—Oh, but, anyway, I wish Tohru-chan and Little Brother happiness!"

Ayame's face went blank for a moment, before he plastered an overly cheerful expression on his face.

"Oh, don't be silly! She isn't marrying Yuki-kun! It—It's a different Sohma. Rather complicated, actually. But it's no matter."

Mine floundered again.

"O-oh. Are you okay, Boss?"

Ayame took in a deep breath.

"Yes. Of course! What would _ever_ lead you to think otherwise? But I think I'll take a break from this for a while. My fingers are getting rather stiff, you know?"

--

_**Author's Space**_

Aah… Sorry for the super-delay. I kind of… forgot… about this story while I was working on _Folding Cranes_. Whoops.

Me heart Aaya.

Next Chapter: _Chapter Seven: Worth_.

Review responses can be viewed at livejournal(**dot**)com/users/foldingcranes. It's a joint account with rogueicephoenix. Whatever. Please review?

_love, fluorescent_


	7. Worth

_DISCLAIMER: I claim no ownership of _Fruits Basket.

--

**_Mythology_**

_Part Two: Secret Defiance of the Blossom Deities  
__Seven: Worth_

--

"Something has to be done," Ayame announced one day as the three of them sat together enjoying a—up to that point—silent lunch out.

Hatori and Shigure stared at their friend, expressions of mild surprise on their faces.

"About what?"

As if Shigure didn't already know.

"Tohru-kun. Tohru-kun and Akito-san."

The other two men shifted almost uncomfortably.

"Ayame—" _—be sensible, be reasonable, be _careful

"You _know_, Tori-san. You know what will happen."

And Hatori did know.

"And what should be do, Aaya? Defy the closest thing we have to a god?" Shigure gave a laugh, fake and hollow and bitter. "Is she worth it?" he spat.

The words felt so bitter in his mouth. But this was a test, Shigure reminded himself. All a test.

Shigure watched shrewdly as something unfamiliar contorted Ayame's features. Rage, maybe, or possibly some weaker equivalent.

"How can you _say_ that?" the dressmaker asked, his voice a furious whisper and his hands fluttering wildly. "She—She is worth—"

"Settle down, Ayame." Hatori sighed. "It's all right," he lied, trying to be a mediator even as Shigure's words cut him to the marrow.

And Ayame did settle down, because even on matters such as this, Hatori's will was important as though it was Ayame's own. The silver-haired man rested his head against his folded hands.

So the table was silent for a little while longer as the three Sohma men contemplated each other and the situation and… life in general until at last Hatori spoke, his voice steady even though something—_something_—roiled beneath it.

"We really can't afford to lose her like this, Shigure."

The writer laughed again, and it was humorless, foreign, and devastating.

"_Like this,"_ he echoed. "We'll still lose her, won't we, Haa-san?"

And Hatori looked at his cousin with a carefully blank expression. A "yes" in Hatori-speak. A "yes" which meant that once this was all over, if they were able to steal her away, Hatori was willing to do the best thing for her—erase her memory before they sent her away.

"Well," Shigure continued, "I hope that no one minds suffering Akito's wrath for the rest of his relatively short life. Defiance of the gods isn't something that one takes lightly, is it?"

--

**Author's Notes:**

Sorry-sorry for the delay. _Tuve estudiar mucho para la clase de matemáticas en el mes pasado._ Eheh. That is, I had lots of studying to do for math last month…

The Mabudachi Trio is very, very serious here, isn't it? I kind of like the thought of the three of them not getting along as well as everyone thinks they get along – like behind all of their super-friendship and craziness, they're breaking apart from the inside. Dunno.

Next Chapter: _Chapter Eight: Love_.

Oh, I've given up on trying to post responses on the LiveJournal. So here they are…

--

**Thank You!**

_Lucinda the Maid_ – Psychic indeed! XD It's funny when that happens, isn't it? …I worried about Ayame's... melancholy _angst_ for a while before I finally finished the chapter and got him back to his usual self. Characterization is probably my main worry... Anyway. Has this last chapter _kind of_ cleared up the meaning of the section title for you? Or is it still a little vague? _:grin:_ I try my hardest with the vagueness. It's terribly fun to keep people guessing. :_blinks_: Oh. Actually, Hatori's chapter, _Porcelain_,was the one before Shigure's. It was really short, though, so… :_wince_: Thanks for your reviews! They're always so wonderful…

_catgirlversion3.0otakufan_ – :_wince_: I tried to make the chapters longer, but they just don't work when they're too long. Some of the next ones are longer. It must be very unsatisfying, but I can't help it. I'll try to speed up the updates. Thanks so much!

_chiisana-inori_ – You can't imagine how wonderful it feels to read your reviews. I like showing the more melancholy sides of their characters, but I'm never quite sure that I'm getting it right. So thanks!

_waterrose_ – Thanks so much for reviewing!

_love, fluorescent_


	8. Love

_DISCLAIMER: I claim no ownership of _Fruits Basket

--

_**Mythology**_

_Part Three: Introspection of a Makeshift Bride  
__Eight: Love_

--

Tohru lay on the futon in her new room and…

And thought.

She hadn't yet told Uo-can or Hana-chan about her… _engagement_. Akito hadn't exactly given her a ring, after all, and there was nothing else that could feasibly tell them what was going on, save for Tohru's electrical waves, which were completely out of her control. And if they knew, if Hana was able to read her, they…

They'd get so angry. They wouldn't understand that this…this would be for the good of the Sohma family. And Tohru… she would do anything for the Sohmas.

Because blood didn't matter. The Sohma family was Tohru's family and she _loved _them.

She loved Kyou-kun and Yuki-kun and Shigure-san and Hatori-san and Ayame-san and all the others. And…and if she tried, she knew that she could love Akito-san. She could love him even though he so obviously hated her and hit her and frightened her so badly.

She could love him.

Tohru knew she could.

Time. That's all it was. With time, she could love him.

Tohru shivered and felt the goosebumps rise on her flesh. She curled up but did not slide under the sheets.

She'd asked Akito-san the other day… would she be able to finish school, even after the wedding?

He'd only given her a cold look, then smiled.

And that… that was what scared her most. That she didn't know anything. That he wouldn't _tell her _anything.

It scared her so much.

Tohru squeezed her eyes shut against the fear and made herself fall asleep.

--

_**Author's Space:**_

Er. Any other New Yorkers out there who couldn't get to work or school because of the bloody strike? Yes? No? I'm trapped in Queens and can't get anywhere worth going to… -_sigh_-

I finally figured out why some people spell it "_Juunishi_" (like the manga), while others use"_Jyuunishi_" (like me, and, no, I don't know why I used that spelling, either). It's because there isn't an actual character for "ju" in hiragana or katakana, so you have to use "ji" and a subscript "yu", which creates "jiyu", which turns into "jyu", which (sometimes) turns into "ju". Which is somewhat confusing. And which I should've picked up on sooner. Call it an epiphany in the middle of math class.

I don't know if I'll send out individual responses or not—so I'd just like to say thank you all so much for the support!

At the moment, I'm writing up chapter eighteen, part five. So, well… I'll just call that a little teasing of how far and how deep this is getting… _:sweatdrop:_

Next Chapter: _Chapter_ _Nine: Inconvenience._

Review, please...


	9. Inconvenience

_DISCLAIMER: I claim no ownership of _Fruits Basket.

--

_**Mythology**_

_Part Three: Introspection of a Makeshift Bride  
Nine: Inconvenience_

--

She'd gotten lost.

She'd had nothing to do on the weekend, because they had servants at the main house, and didn't need her to cook or clean or do any of the menial work she enjoyed. So she'd decided to go exploring because the main Sohma house was just…_so_ big.

She'd meant to go looking for Momiji-kun or Hatori-san or Kagura-san or – or _anyone_ she knew who lived at the main estate. She was just so lonely, after all…

She hadn't found anyone.

Instead, Tohru had gotten lost in a corner of the building where she didn't recognize anything and where there weren't any people that she could ask. The servants were invisible, as servants should be, and there was… no one.

So she'd sat down in that corner and wrapped her arms around her knees to wait for someone to find her. A woman had been assigned to care for Akito-sama's bride-to-be, but she always seemed like she would rather be elsewhere.

Tohru hoped that the woman would notice that she was missing. Preferably soon.

Sitting in this little corner of the Sohma house wasn't physically uncomfortable, of course. But it – the house – was always so… _dark_. Not actually dark, of course, because there were lamps and windows located throughout the entire house, but…

The atmosphere was so dark, so crushing, so heavy, as though Death held the entire house in its palm…

"Honda-kun?"

Tohru looked up at the source of the softly-spoken words.

"Eeh? Ah! Hatori-san!" she exclaimed, and jumped up quickly, dusting herself off and greeting the doctor with a bow.

"What are you doing here? Did you get lost?" he asked her, and she nodded, smiling hopefully at him.

He smiled back, a bit thinly, and said, "That's not hard in this house. Come along. I'll take you back to your room."

"Thank you so much, Hatori-san! I was so afraid that no one would find me and that I'd be stuck here and that…that it might not be best if Akito-san knew I was missing…" She murmured the last part to herself, not meaning for the doctor to hear. Hatori heard, though, and looked back at her sharply, but she brushed the words away quickly.

"Ah! I'm not inconveniencing you, am I, Hatori-san? You probably had something else to do, didn't you? I'm sorry for taking you away from tha—"

"It's all right. I was just taking a walk around the complex," he told her. "You're never an inconvenience, Honda-kun."

He sent her a half-smile over his shoulder, and this one was so much more real.

"O-oh. Okay. Thank you, Hatori-san."

--

_**Author's Space:**_

Er…

I've been neglecting my baby! And my readers! And I'm so, so, _so_ sorry! (And I'm even sorrier for the _Folding Cranes_ people – that's next on the list, I promise.) But. Er. I'll try to keep up. It's not easy, really, because I'm failing both math and chemistry (or I'm going to be) and. Uh. Okay. No more excuses, I promise.

Next Chapter: _Chapter Ten: Dress._

Review, please!


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